Home Care Tips
Follow these homecare tips to keep the repairman away and reduce utility bills
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| Clean or replace the AC filter every month. Dirty air filters are the number one cause of air conditioning service calls. A dirty filter blocks the airflow to the evaporator coil and can cause it to freeze. Once frozen, no air passes through, and the house will become warm. A dirty filter also makes the AC work harder, which uses more electricity. |
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"I see water
dripping from a pipe outside my home." There are two kinds of drain
pipes that are visible outside, either up in the eaves or down near the
foundation. They are located where the
homeowner can be alerted if they drip. One is for the hot water heater
pressure relief valve, and is often made of copper. If this is dripping,
call a plumber immediately, as this is a safety hazard. The other drain is
the backup AC drain, and is usually made of white plastic. If this is
dripping, the main AC drain line has become clogged, and will require repair
from an AC company. To prevent this, use the bleach solution treatment
mentioned below. Keep the AC drain line clear. Near the air handler/evaporator coil, (the part that is in the house or in the attic) you will find a white plastic pipe. Once a month during the warm season, carefully pour a cup of 50/50 bleach and water mixture into the pipe. This will keep the pipe from clogging with algae- another common reason for expensive service calls. Keep the line capped to prevent loss of cold air into the attic. |
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| Keep the
condenser unit (the part that is outside) clear of obstructions and insect
free. Many homeowners like to plant shrubbery next to the condenser to hide
it from view. This makes the AC labor to remove heat and can reduce its
life. Fire ants are another common cause of service calls, as they crawl into
the electrical relay and cause a short. Keep fire ants away by sprinkling
fire ant bait near the base of the condenser. Photo shows a properly
installed condenser unit: free of shrubbery, properly elevated on a level
pad to keep rainwater out.
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| Gutters Make sure that gutter downspouts extend 5 feet from the foundation. This is a very common finding on home inspections. The idea behind having gutters is to move rooftop runoff away from the foundation. Take a look at almost any home in your area and you will find that most downspouts extend no more than a foot from the wall. This floods the soil near the foundation and can cause settling of the home, especially with the clay soils common to Central Texas. Home improvement centers sell a downspout extension that can be folded up out of the way to allow for cutting of the grass. Be sure to check gutters periodically for clogging from leaves. |
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| Use ceiling fans to save on utilities. Fans can make the temperature feel 10 degrees cooler, tremendously reducing the need for Air Conditioning. Set the fan direction to blow downwards in the summer. In winter, running the fan in reverse on low (blowing upwards) will bring warm air down from the ceiling and reduce heating bills. |
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Put solar screens on the windows. Solar screening is a special mesh that reflects much more sunlight than regular screening. It is available at home improvement stores, and can block 60-70% of the heat from sunlight. |
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| Caulk around doors and windows. Check all doors and windows around the exterior and make sure that they are caulked, especially at the top of the trim. This keeps rainwater out of the walls and improves energy efficiency. |  |
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